Franklin valedictorian: Leave with no regrets

Editor's Note: The Laconia Daily Sun is publishing valedictory speeches from area high schools. This was delivered by Sydney Ericson at Franklin High School.

Good evening. Any of you who have attended a graduation before will know that a majority of graduation speeches talk about how their senior class is a family, and for some of us in this class that statement is true. One thing my class truly has in common with a family is that we can fight about pointless things and forget about it in the time span of two days. Many of us have known each other since we were in preschool, which has given us a lot of time to form our judgments of one another. We grew up together and we are each other's childhoods. We are each other’s stories and memories that one day we will tell  our children and grandchildren about. When we think back to our time spent at Franklin High School there may be regrets of wishing you had done something differently. I challenge you to not let this day go by without forgiving another for any past grievances and to leave this graduation with no regrets. We may never see each other again after today, so let this day end with love for one another. In today’s society, the inability to be kind to others has created major problems around our country. At this time I would like to take a moment of silence to honor the students and their families that were not able to make it to their own graduations.

We can all remember the stress that came with homecoming and winter carnival and how angry we got if anyone did not participate. Some people would say we took it too seriously and were way too competitive, which may have been true, but I feel it best represents our class's determination to succeed. This determination could also be seen through Mr. Cowles mock debates and trials that always ended with everyone fighting and at least three people crying. It would be an understatement to say that we are all strongly opinionated people. We fight for what we believe in, which was one of the main causes of the Yoga Pants Rebellion of 2013. That was the first but certainly not the last time we rebelled against our school’s dress code. Through our ups and downs we remained together as a class because at the end of the day we are our own little dysfunctional family; one that I would not change for the world because they made me who I am today. Jennifer Jareau from criminal minds once said, “I’m thankful for my years spent with this family, for everything we shared, every chance we had to grow. I’ll take the best of them with me and lead by their example wherever I go. A friend told me to be honest with you, so here it goes. This isn’t what I want, but I’ll take the high road. Maybe it’s because I look at everything as a lesson, or because I don’t want to walk around angry, or maybe it’s because I finally understand. There are things we don’t want to happen but have to accept, things we don’t want to know but have to learn, and people we can’t live without but have to let go.”

The next chapter in our lives is about to begin. Although we all say we cannot wait to get out of here and never see so and so again, I think we can all look back and find one thing we will miss about high school. Whether it be a club, a sport, a group of friends you are going to miss. Don’t get me wrong there are definitely things we will not miss about high school, but do not let the bad memories triumph the good because the memories we made are one of the only things we are going to carry with us as we leave. It is insane to think that in a few months many of us will be packing up our bags and heading off to college. I think I speak for all of us when I say we will never forget and will always appreciate the love and support we received from our parents and family members. I would like to take a moment to thank my mom for always being there for me, and also for letting me buy a puppy and get a kitten when Dad said “no.” I would also like to thank my dad for being exceedingly proud of even my most miniscule achievements and also for hanging up all my awards and pictures, even in the most unusual areas, including the bathroom.

The teachers at this school have given us four years full of lessons and I choose to look at this graduation as the last lesson we will be taught at Franklin High School; it is the one that teaches us how to leave the people we have been with since preschool, the people that made us laugh countless times every day, the people we care about the most, and the people who made us who we are today.

Most importantly, it teaches us one of the hardest lessons in life: how to say our final goodbye to the people that we love. Thank you.